Method of and means for interrupting electric currents



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. THOMSON. METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR INTERRUPTING ELECTRIC GURRENTS.

Patented Feb. 2, 1892.

WITNESSES- INVENTEIR; to\\ aqoxqsow III nomus'nsns co. vusumcmu: 03

2 SheetsSheet 2.

(No Model.)

- E. THOMSON. METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR INTERRUPTING ELECTRIC CURRENTS.

Patented Feb. 2, 1892.

UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELIIIU THOMSON, or SWAMPSCOT", MASSACHUSETTS.

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR INTERRUPTING ELECTRIC CURRENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 468,126, dated February 2, 1892.

' A lication filed September It, 1890. Serial No. 363,681. (No model.)

T 0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELIHU THOMSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Swampscott, county of Essex, and State of Massa chusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Methods of and Means for Interrupting Electric Currents, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to a new method of and means for avoiding arcing on the interruption of electric currents of considerable potential and is adapted for use at the jumping-spaces of lightning-arresters in connection with circuit-breaking switches, the.

It is based upon the fact that rapidly-moving conducting-surfaces conveying current are not liable to arcs, and that arcs -upon these rapidly-moving surfaces may be extended or lengthened out without really moving the conductiugsurfaces from one another, so as to alter the actual discharge distance bet-ween them.

My method therefore consists'in causing a rapid movement of the discharge-terminals, one or, both, at the point or points of interruption in the circuit where 21505 are liable to occur, in order to present a continual supply of new metal to the discharge at such a rapid rate that the arc cannot take up the new discharge points or surfaces and is extended by reason of its tendency to hang to the old ones. This movement ordinarily will be one of rotation, and therefore is'independent of and does not affect the actual discharge distance between the terminals. I

In carrying out the above method two dis charge-terminals areprovided adjacent to one another, one or preferably both of which are rotated by suitable means, and when the inven'tion is applied specifically to a switch additional means are provided for electrically connecting and disconnecting the terminals to open or closcthe circuit, as desired.

The invention worked out in a number of forms is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 shows my improvement applied to a disruptivedevice, such as a lightning-arrester, for interrupting the discharge in case there is arcing to earth. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 8 shows one-form of switch embodying the invention, and Figs. 4, 5, 6, and

7 illustrate modifications comprising different forms of switches and various means for rotating the discharge-terminals.

In Fig. 1 a line-circuit is shown at L-as, for instance, a'railway or power-distribution line-adapted for electric currents of considerable potential and volume, and in a branch L taken therefronris included a lightning"- of to prevent arcing to ground, 'lwowheels W W, of conducting material, serving as dis charge-terminals and separated by a jumping insulation-space,'are journaled on studsa a, the former being in circuit with the line L the latter is similarly connected by b' .to the earth-plate E. I These wheels are caused to rotate in opposite directions, as indicated by the arrows, by any suitable means, that shown consisting of an electric motor M, bolted to a driving-wheel V which is connected by suitable pulleys and belts V with the rotating terin inal wheels. The style of motor is, however, immaterial, and I use the word in a'generic. sense. In the rear of the wheels and closeto.v though not touching, their peripheries are placed arcintcrrupting blocks C C, of insulating material, such as hard pore lai' -or slate, which are shaped to correspo d with the wheels. The are will tend to for at the point where the distance betweenth wheels is shortest; but owing to their rotati u it will be carried upward and outward unti finally it is disrupted upon'reaching the insulatingblocks, or, as more often occurs, before reachof the are as it follows around the discharget-erminals is sufficient to extinguish it.

In Fig. 3 the wheels \V \V' are arranged as in Fig. 1 and will be connected with'the two a wedge-shaped block D, of copper or other conducting material, which is inserted between the wheels, asshown, or removed therefrom, according as it is the desire of the operator to open or close the circuit. In this device, as well as in that shown in Fig. 4,

wheels conical in shape, the rotation of the wheels may be caused by belts, as. in Fig. 1, or other means.

arrester in which my invention is made use 1 through binding-post B and brush .1), while ing the blocks, because the mere lengthening sides of the line-circuit; but herein the apparatus is converted into aswitch by the use of I00 which difllers only in having the dischargethe terminal wheels In,li-ig. the circuit is closed by bringing the two discharge-wheels directly into contact with oneanother, and thisis accomplished conveniently by journalingone of the wheels V upon a supporti ng-arm P, whichis pivoted at 1) upon astud likewise forming the bearing for a driving-pulley \Vi'which is belted to WVhen itis-desired to open the circuit, the arm is turned into the dotted-line position, and this may be done without interfering with the continuous rotation of the wheels, as will be evident.

In Fig. 6 an arrangement similarto Figs.

3 and 4 is shown, a wheel and ratchet being connected with the metal bar D and the terminal wheels being driven by a frictiongear E.

Fig. 7 illustrates a-diiferent arrangement for driving the wheels by an electric motor .and'beltsi In this case a single beltW is used,passing under pulley w and over w, so that it drives the wheels .with which these pulleys are connected in opposite directions.

It will be understood that the ditterent specific structures herein described are simply illustrative of my broad invention, and that it maybe availed of in many other forms of apparatus as well;

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The method of avoiding arcsupon the interruption of electric currents of considerable .potential,'which consists in causing a rapidmovement of the discharge-terminals relatively to one another at the interrupted point, such that the said movement does not alter the distance between the terminals, as

' described;

interruption of electric currents of consider- .able potential, which consists in rotating the discharge-terminals on either side of the interrupted' point in relatively opposite directions and thereby extending the arc-without altering the distance betweenthe said termi thereto independent of the current flow across the terminals for its continuance or cessation, l

2. The method of avoiding arcs uponrthe" of avoiding arcs between' whereby an arc, it formed, is automatically ruptured, as set forth.

5. The combination, with a line-circuit, of the metallic terminals separated by an insulation-space and a motor normally imparting a rapid rotation to said terminals in opposite directions sufiicient to cause an are, if formed,

tobecome distended and ruptured, as set forth.

6. iThecombination, with the terminals of an electric-circuit breaker normally separated only by an air-space, of a motor normally imparting a rapid relative movement thereto constantly presenting fresh metal at the discharge-points.

7. The combination, with a centrally-pivoted wheel-forming oneofthe terminals of an electric-circuit breaker and normally-separated from the other terminal by an air'insulation-space, ot a motor normally imparting a.rapid movement'of rotation to the wheel sufficient to distend and rupture any ai c ther'eat.

8. The combination, with the terminals of an electric-circuit breaker, one at least of" which is rotatable on a centralaxis, of a mo' tor independent of the currentjimpartinga rapid relative'movement to the terminals,-.

not, as set forth 9. The "combination ofa line-circuit with which continues whether current is flowing or the rotating discharge-terminals, a'sdescribed,

connected to the two sides of the circuit and an arc-interrupting block or blocks in proxim ityto theterminals, for the purpose set forth. 10. -The combination of a line-circuit and the terminal wheelsiconpected to the two sides of the circuit with a motor rotating said.

wheels in opposite' directions and the-arc -int'errupting blpcks of insulating material, as described.

Y .11. The combination, in aswitch-,'of the rotating terminals connected, respectively, to

the branches of an electric circuit, means for impartingacontin'uous movement of rotation to one at least of said terminals, and independent'means for connecting and discon- I meeting at will said terminals electrically, whereby the circuit can be opened and closed without affecting or being affected by the retation of the terminals,

12. The combination, in a switch, of the, rotating terminals connected to the branches of an electric circuit, means for rotating the terminals, and means for moving one of said terminals, so as to bring itinto and out of contact with the other,- as'described.

-ELIHU THOMSON.

Witnesses! JOHN W. GIBB'oNEY,

ROBERT SHAND. 

